


In the Silence

by ProfessorSmam



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:22:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25412347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProfessorSmam/pseuds/ProfessorSmam
Summary: Saying goodbye in wartime is a luxury.
Relationships: Hermione Granger & Severus Snape, Hermione Granger/Severus Snape
Comments: 3
Kudos: 26





	In the Silence

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first foray into Harry Potter fan fiction and my first published fan fiction in about 15 or so years so go easy on me! Constructive criticism is always welcome. My goal is to make this into a bigger, more fleshed out fic full of love and hope and sadness and fun but I know who I am as a person so I thought I would post this little ficlet and see what happened.

The cold, cruel voice of the Dark Lord never failed to chill her blood. The words Hermione heard falling from his snakelike mouth filled her with a fear the likes of which she had never felt. She shifted just a bit in order to better see from between the crates that blocked the entrance of the passageway she, Harry, and Ron crouched in. She saw Severus clenching his hands, heard his voice pleading with his master and felt as if her blood had turned to ice. Hermione watched in total disbelief as the orb that held Nagini floated closer and closer to Severus. Watched as the orb encased his head and neck. As the snake ripped into the delicate flesh of his throat. His scream tore through Hermione. The sound was agony to her ears but the quiet after would haunt her for years to come.

Her stomach lurched and she began to shake as Severus sank to the floor. The pale devil walked from the room, Nagini floating behind him. As soon as the room was empty except for the dying man on the floor, Hermione pushed past Harry and flew to Severus’s side. Tears already welling in her eyes, she lurched forward, pulling open her beaded handbag to search for something, anything, that could help ease his pain.

Silver threads spilled from his eyes and mouth and ears and Severus gestured to Harry to take them. Hermione gave him a conjured vial and then turned her full attention to her husband. 

“Harry, send a message to…”

That was as far as she got with her request before Severus lifted his hand to her face. Hermione pulled him into her arms as her tears fell down her cheeks. Severus coughed and choked, taking gasping breaths. 

“No! No Severus. Please. Please don't leave me. Don’t…”

“I don’t.... I don’t know why…” a cough choked him. “Why I was so afraid ... to tell you.” Every word seemed to take more and more effort. His voice was raspy and quiet, no longer the smooth velvet she had fallen in love with. “It seems so easy now. I love you.” A smile graced his lips as he looked into Hermione's tear filled eyes.

“Severus please. I love you too! I love you, please! Please don’t leave me. I can’t do this without you. I can’t…” She was sobbing now, unable to stem the tears or her sorrow.

“You can” He rasped. “You will. You are so strong... So good… Thank you for loving... me.” His voice trailed off. Each breath became weaker, more shallow than the one before it. Hermione, sobbing, cradled him, feeling completely useless and hopelessly lost. 

The man she loved, who had lived a miserable life feeling so unworthy of friendship and love, dying in her arms. And the brightest witch of her age without answers in a time when she needed them most! Tears fell from her eyes as Severus took his last breath and died in her arms, a small smile on his pale lips. She felt as if she were breaking in two. 

Suddenly she couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. Her body shook as she held him to her chest. She felt numb, disbelief coursing through her veins. 

How could he die? How was this right? This man, who had spent his entire adult life paying for the sins of his youth. Acting as a pawn for two men with no regard for those around them. How could he die before he ever had the chance to really live! Her Severus. Her unlikely love. It wasn’t fair! This isn’t how this was supposed to end. They were supposed to live through this god forsaken war and grow old together. He promised! They were going to leave England. Leave the memory of his two masters and the wars and the past behind them! They were going to brew potions and read books and watch sunsets and live free! And now that dream was dashed. There was no future. It had just died in her arms. 

A hand on her shoulder brought her back to the present. She looked up into Harry’s concerned face. 

“Later you will have to help me understand what I just heard, but for now Hermione, Voldemort is still out there somewhere. We have a job to do.”

“Of course. Yes. Let’s go. Back to the castle. We should be able to get into Dumbledore's office and use the pensive there. I don’t know what he thought was so important but it obviously was something he thought you needed to see.” She hadn’t stood. Hadn’t been able to let him go. She looked into his face, finally relaxed and peaceful in death. He looked younger. Lighter. The hand on her shoulder tightened and finally, finally Hermione laid the limp body of her husband on the floor of the shack and stood, wiping the tears from her face. “I’ll be back for you. I promise.” She whispered. With one last glance, Hermione turned and followed Harry and Ron back through the passage towards the war.

**Author's Note:**

> That's all folks!


End file.
